Shane Braslow, 22, of Coral Springs, was taken into custody on one count… (Broward Sheriff's Office )

April 21, 2012|By Erika Pesantes, Sun Sentinel

A state-licensed paramedic accused of attacking a Coral Springs jogger earlier this month has been tied to a 2011 case in which he attempted to lure a child while masturbating, police said.

Shane Braslow, 22, was charged Thursday with lewd or lascivious exhibition and luring or enticing a child, police said.

A Coral Springs detective made the link between the recent case and the July 2011 case, which involved an 11-year-old girl. Investigators want to know whether there are other alleged victims whom Braslow may have targeted.

Braslow is 6 feet tall, weighs 155 pounds and has brown eyes and short brown hair.

In last year's case, the suspect drove a 2008 black Honda and approached the child in the 2900 block of Northwest 87th Terrace in Coral Springs. The girl was fixing her bicycle when Braslow pulled up near her in his car, according to a police report.

Braslow offered the child $10 to go "with him somewhere," and masturbated while beckoning the young girl, the report said.

It was good detective work that made the connection between that case and the April 9 attack Braslow is accused of, Coral Springs police spokesman Lt. Joe McHugh said. The child picked Braslow out in a photo lineup, he said.

Earlier this month, Braslow was driving a black Honda when police said he grabbed a 44-year-old jogger and attempted to abduct her after rolling down his window to say he was taking pictures of her to post online. The victim fought off her attacker during the 10 a.m. incident in the 8900 block of Forest Hills Boulevard.

Braslow was charged with attempted kidnapping and battery in the April 9 case. He has since bonded out of jail, McHugh said.

Police initially looked into whether Braslow was involved in the disappearance of Maria Claudia Murphy, 45, who vanished March 16 after parking her car outside El Balcon De Las Americas restaurant near Coral Springs. Braslow is not suspected of being involved in Murphy's disappearance, McHugh said.

Authorities ask anyone who has been approached by Braslow to call Detective Mark Mitter at 954-346-1300.